Nurse shortages ease

Press, 12 April 1984, Page 9

Nurse shortages ease

Shortages of nurses at Christchurch Hospital were easing, members of the Canterbury Hospital Board heard yesterday. - Routine surgical admissions were still being cancelled because of the shortage of trained staff.

The board’s chief nurse, Miss Margaret Darby, told the health services committee that approval was being sought to employ more qualified nurses because of the falling student roll. The hospital had 34 vacant student positions at the end of last month.

The hospital’s medical

superintendent, Dr David Andrews, said the shortage was worse a month ago when many student nurses were away on training blocks.

“It is still resulting in very widespread cancellations of routine surS every week,” he

Part of the problem was delays in approvals for the replacement of staff who had left.

Miss Darby said Burwood Hospital also had staffing problems but to a lesser degree than Christchurch Hospital.